6 Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Lodge Safari
Six unhurried days with three nights in the Serengeti, including a night near the migration herds, plus Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire.
- Duration
- 6 days
- Route
- Arusha – Lake Manyara – Central Serengeti – Seasonal Serengeti – Central Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater – Karatu – Tarangire – Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha (pick-up from your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport)
- Best time
- July to October usually brings Mara River crossings in the north, and January to March typically brings calving in the south; the safari runs year-round.
- Trip style
- Private safari in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with your own driver-guide, staying in mid-range lodges and one night in a seasonal tented camp.
Tour overview
Six days gives the Serengeti the time it deserves. This lodge safari is designed for travelers who want to go beyond the central plains and spend a night close to the migrating herds, while still enjoying the crater and two other excellent parks.
After a first afternoon at Lake Manyara, you spend three nights in the Serengeti: two in the central Seronera area, known for its resident big cats, and one in a seasonal camp positioned where the wildebeest and zebra are, typically in the north during the river-crossing months or the south during calving season. The return journey takes in the Ngorongoro Crater and a final game drive in Tarangire.
With a private vehicle and guide, mid-range lodges and a seasonal tented camp, this safari suits couples, families and photographers alike.
Highlights
- Three nights in the Serengeti, including one at a seasonal migration camp
- Chance to see the herds, with river crossings or calving depending on the month
- Big-cat country of the central Serengeti's Seronera Valley
- A game drive on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater
- Lake Manyara's forest and Tarangire's elephants
- Private vehicle and guide throughout
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park
After pick-up from your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport, drive about 2 hours west to Lake Manyara National Park at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment. Spend the afternoon exploring the groundwater forest with its baboon troops and blue monkeys, then the open floodplains where buffalo, elephant, giraffe and zebra graze near the soda lake. Stop at the hippo pool and look out for the park's occasional tree-climbing lions and its rich birdlife, including pelicans and seasonal flamingos. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the park, then drive up the escarpment to your lodge with sweeping views over the lake for dinner.
Day 2Lake Manyara to Central Serengeti
After breakfast, drive through Karatu into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, pausing at the crater viewpoint before crossing the highlands to Naabi Hill Gate. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the gate, then begin a game drive across the open plains toward the central Serengeti, watching for cheetah, lion, hyena and large herds of gazelle. The journey takes about 6 hours including stops and game viewing. Arrive in the Seronera area in the late afternoon and check in to your tented lodge, where you can enjoy a sundowner before dinner.
Day 3Central Serengeti to the Migration Area
Today you head to wherever the herds are. In the river-crossing season, usually July to October, you drive north for about 4 to 5 hours toward the Mara River; in calving season, usually January to March, you head south toward the short-grass plains around Ndutu; at other times your guide chooses the best area in the central or western Serengeti. Game viewing continues all along the way, with a picnic lunch in the bush. Spend the afternoon among the wildebeest and zebra, watching for the predators that follow them, before arriving at a seasonal tented camp positioned close to the action.
Day 4Migration Morning and Return to Central Serengeti
Wake early for a morning game drive among the herds, the best time to see predators in action and, in season, the drama of a river crossing or newborn calves on the plains. Crossings depend entirely on the animals, so your guide will position you patiently at likely points. After a picnic lunch, game drive back toward the central Serengeti, exploring the kopjes and river valleys along the way, where lion prides, leopards and elephants are frequently seen. Arrive at your lodge in the Seronera area in the late afternoon for dinner and your final night in the park.
Day 5Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater and Karatu
Leave early with a packed breakfast and game drive out of the Serengeti toward the Ngorongoro highlands, about 3 hours. Descend into the crater and spend several hours exploring the caldera floor, where lion, hyena, buffalo, elephant, wildebeest, zebra and the rare black rhino share the grasslands, swamps and lakeshore. Enjoy a picnic lunch near the hippo pool, then ascend the crater wall in the afternoon and drive about 45 minutes to Karatu. Relax at your lodge among coffee farms and gardens, with dinner in the evening.
Day 6Tarangire National Park and Return to Arusha
After breakfast, drive about 1.5 to 2 hours to Tarangire National Park for a final game drive. The park's river valley and baobab woodland are home to large elephant herds, as well as giraffe, zebra, buffalo, impala and lion, and the birdlife is superb. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a viewpoint over the Tarangire River, then leave the park in the early afternoon for the drive of about 2 to 2.5 hours back to Arusha. You will be dropped at your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport in the late afternoon, ending your safari.
What is included
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof for game viewing
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All park entry and conservation fees as per the itinerary
- Ngorongoro Crater descent (crater service) fee
- Accommodation as listed, or similar
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle throughout
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport
- Government taxes and VAT
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tips for your guide and crew
- Alcoholic and soft drinks at lodges
- Personal items, laundry and souvenirs
- Optional activities such as a hot-air balloon safari
- Accommodation in Arusha before or after the safari
Good to know
- The location of the seasonal camp on Days 3 and 4 depends on where the herds are at the time of your safari.
- River crossings are never guaranteed; patience and flexibility give you the best chance.
- Days 3 and 5 involve long drives with game viewing along the way.
- Seasonal tented camps have en-suite bathrooms, usually with bucket or safari-style showers.
Frequently asked questions
Will we definitely see a river crossing?
No one can guarantee a crossing, as the herds decide when and where to cross. Between July and October, spending time near the Mara River gives you a good chance, and your guide will do everything possible to be in the right place.
Why stay at a seasonal camp?
Seasonal camps move during the year to stay close to the migration, so you wake up near the herds rather than driving hours to reach them. They are comfortable tented camps with proper beds and en-suite facilities.
Can we fly part of the route?
Yes. If you prefer less driving, we can arrange a light-aircraft flight, for example from the northern Serengeti back to Arusha, and adjust the itinerary. Contact us for options.
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